Iran Sells $11 'Pro Internet' Access After 2-Month Blackout
Updated
Updated · FRANCE 24 English · May 14
Iran Sells $11 'Pro Internet' Access After 2-Month Blackout
2 articles · Updated · FRANCE 24 English · May 14
$11 buys 50 gigabytes on Iran's new "Pro Internet" plan, which restores limited access for some professionals and business owners after a months-long wartime shutdown.
The blackout began after U.S. and Israeli attacks on February 28, and NetBlocks said by April 5 it had become the longest nation-scale internet shutdown on record.
Subscribers say the service is uneven and costly: some can reach WhatsApp and Telegram, but platforms such as Instagram, X and YouTube still require VPNs, with extra data priced above normal rates.
Critics and reformist media call it a tiered system that turns internet access into a privilege, while some eligible users still cannot get it and face public backlash for paying.
The dispute lands as inflation tops 50% and the rial weakens, deepening pressure on households even as Tehran says normal internet will return only when the "shadow of war" lifts.
As Iran creates a 'digital elite' with paid internet, is this the dawn of a new era of information apartheid?
With Starlink devices being smuggled in, can Iranians build a parallel internet beyond their government's reach?
Iran’s 2026 Internet Blackout: How “Internet Pro” Created a Two-Tier Society and Sparked National Outrage
Overview
Following the outbreak of war with the United States and Israel, Iran imposed an unprecedented internet blackout starting February 28, 2026. Authorities claimed this was for national security, aiming to block adversaries’ intelligence and cyberattacks. However, the blackout mainly cut off 90 million citizens from the world, isolating them and severing ties with the diaspora, while analysis shows it did little to hinder enemy military capabilities. Facing both external threats and internal pressure, the government introduced a tiered internet system, deepening social divides and reinforcing control, as most Iranians remained disconnected and critical voices grew louder.